Prosthetic articular cartilage
AssigneeReGen Corporation
InventorsKevin R. Stone, Shu-Tung Li
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Abstract
A prosthetic, resorbable articular cartilage and methods of its fabrication and insertion are disclosed. The prosthetic articular cartilage, when implanted in a humanoid joint, acts as a resorbable scaffold for ingrowth of native articular chondrocytes and supports natural articulating joint forces. The prosthetic articular cartilage is a dry, porous, volume matrix of biocompatible and bioresorbable fibers. These fibers include a natural polymer or analogs thereof, at least a portion of which may be crosslinked. The matrix is adapted to have an in vivo outer surface contour substantially the same as that of natural articular cartilage in an articulating joint, and has a pore size in the approximate range of about 100 microns to about 400 microns.
Claims27
A prosthetic articular cartilage device comprising a dry porous volume matrix of biocompatible and at least partially bioresorbable fibers,
- said fibers selected from the group consisting of natural polymers, and analogs and mixtures thereof, said matrix being adapted to have an in vivo outer surface contour substantially the same as that of natural articular cartilage, said matrix having a pore size in the approximate range of about 100 microns to about 400 microns,
- whereby said matrix establishes a bioresorbable scaffold adapted for the ingrowth of articular chondrocytes, and for supporting natural articulating joint forces.
A method of regenerating articular cartilage in vivo comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing prosthetic articular cartilage device comprising a dry porous volume matrix of biocompatible and bioresorbable fibers, said fibers selected from the group consisting of natural polymers, and analogs and mixtures thereof, said matrix being adapted to have an in vivo outer surface contour substantially the same as that of natural articular cartilage, and said matrix having a pore size in the approximate range of about 100 microns to about 400 microns;
- and
- (b) implanting said prosthetic articular cartilage into a joint by surgical procedures, said matrix establishing a bioresorbable scaffold adapted for ingrowth of articular chondrocytes and for supporting natural articulating joint forces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.